Potty Training An Adopted Dog

Adopting a new puppy is one of the things that bring delight and squeals from children. It is a

happy occasion for both you and the family. However, a puppy, cute and squiggly as they are will, as

all dogs do, mess the house. The new member of the household has to be potty trained as soon as the

first day.

It is important to note that dogs could hold their bladder up to five hours, not more than that. In

fact, dogs being territorial animals will mark the territory by urinating every few feet or so. When

the dog is new to a particular place that has not yet been marked by other dogs, expect the dog

itching to mark every nook and cranny of the house, worse, that include the rugs and carpets. The

following will walk you through to potty train the pup.

Because you are expecting the pup to urinate you could very well anticipate that it is bound to

happen. Once you see a pup raising a hind leg, carry him outside to a designated place where the pup

could relieve himself. Typically a pup that is good for adoption is about three months old. That

also means that the puppy could hold his bladder for at least three hours. Refrain from waiting for

that. Bring the puppy out every two hours counting from the time when you first brought him outside.

It is important to establish a routine and a schedule. Dogs respond well to schedule and routine.

Routines, repetitions, and schedules are the main tools used in training.

Use the same area each time. When you are trough playing with the puppy, go to the spot. When the

puppy has finished eating, go to the spot. Every two hours after that, go to the same spot. Sooner

or later, the puppy will get the idea. All it takes is patience and how ready you are because

bringing home a new dog to the house will take responsibility. The hardest part is just until the

puppy gets used to the routine. Until then, everything hangs on your commitment to raising a

housebroken dog. <


Likewise, feed the dog on a regular schedule. That way you could predict and better control the time

when the puppy will be relieving itself.

In the same manner, young puppies will need to relieve itself during the night. A young puppy is

generally regarded as less than four months old. If so, do give water to the puppy before bedtime.

Puppies that are four months or more make it overnight. When the puppy wakes up, the first urge is

to urinate, bring him to the spot. After a nap, do the same. Establishing routines and getting the

puppy accustomed to the spot will make him go there eventually without being led.

Even behind all these, accidents could happen. If the pup soiled a rug, a piece of paper or pieces

of item, place the items in the spot. It will give the puppy the hint what the spot is for.

It is also important to praise the puppy the very moment after the puppy has relived himself in the

spot designated. That will reinforce the idea and go there every time.

in Pets. Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Pets/Potty-Training-An-Adopted-Dog

Australian Cattle Dog Breed Profile

Description: The Australian Cattle Dog is a medium sized dog in the herding group. The dog will be

17 to 20 inches at the shoulder and weigh between 33 and 35 pounds. The bitch weighs 30 to 35 pounds

and is 17 to 19 inches at the withers. The coat of this dog is short, but still consists of two

layers: a outer guard coat and a dense undercoat. The color of the coat can be blue, speckled red,

or mottled blue. The puppies are born white. The Australian Cattle Dog has upright ears and the tail

is left undocked. It has a life span of about 12 to 15 years. This dog is also known as the Blue

Heeler, the Queensland Heeler, or the Australian Heeler.

History: When settlers came to Australia, they naturally brought their dogs with them, often Smooth

Collies. Unfortunately, it was found that the hot climate of Australia and the great distances that

were needed for a herding dog to travel were detrimental to these dogs. Recognizing the need to

produce a tougher dog for their new home, the settlers bred Dalmatians and Kelpies into the line.

This new breed proved to be just the thing needed for herding cattle on the extensive Australian

ranches.

Temperament: The Australian Cattle Dog is loyal and protective, but can not be considered to be a

companion dog. This dog was developed to herd cattle independently of human direction and never was

meant to interact closely with a human family. It has a tendency to nip, a tactic that it would

employ when herding cattle, and it will do this to humans, too. If you get an Australian Cattle Dog

while it is a puppy and it grows up around children, it will probably work out all right, but

otherwise, this is not the best dog for children. This dog needs to work or it will become

destructive.
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Health Issues: The Australian Cattle Dog can suffer from hip dysplasia and slipped kneecap. This dog

can also get progressive retinal atrophy. The gene that causes the merle coloration can also be

responsible for deafness in this dog. This is basically a healthy dog.

Grooming: The short hair of the Australian Cattle Dog does not need to be excessively groomed, but a

brushing once a week will keep it in top form. This dog can be bathed or not, depending on the

owner's preferences. As this dog usually spends a lot of time outside, it should be checked for

ticks and fleas frequently. The feet should also be examined to make sure there are no cuts or

abrasions present.

Living Conditions: This is definitely not a dog for an apartment. The Australian Cattle Dog is a

working dog and needs an incredible amount of exercise. It does not need too much in the way of

interaction with humans, although it will bond to one person. A long walk is not sufficient for this

dog, it needs to run or jog with its owner or indulge in an active play session. Ideally, the owner

of this dog would be someone on a farm or ranch with cattle to herd.
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How To Protect Your Pets From Fleas And Ticks

There are many flea products  on the market so making an informed choice can be confusing.

Consulting with your Veterinarian will assist you in choosing the most effective, safest and

appropriate option for your pet.

Some treatments can be administered orally, such as Sentinel, (which provides a small amount of flea

control in conjunction with heartworm prevention), Comfortis  (which provides protection from fleas

for 30 days), and Capstar (which is an effective initial treatment to kill fleas but only remains

effective for 24 to 48 hours so a monthly preventative is recommended in conjunction with Capstar).

Other treatments are applied to the skin along the back of the neck such as Advantage, ProMeris, and

Frontline Plus.  These topical treatments provide flea control  for 30 days but exposure to water

and most soap products can weaken their effectiveness.

In addition to fleas, ticks also flourish in the spring. Ticks carry many harmful diseases which can

be transmitted to your pet.  If your environment exposes your pet to ticks there are specific

products available such as Preventick collars which provide protection for 30 days.  Advantix and

Frontline and other topical treatments also prevent ticks from finding a home on your pet.

As with all medicines, always follow your Veterinarian's recommendations and dosing directions

before administering any flea or tick prevention since some may be dangerous or inappropriate for

your pet.  Use extreme caution if handling any products which contain permethrins as they are highly

toxic to cats and pocket pets. It is usually best to get your flea medications from a licensed

Veterinarian because some over-the-counter flea treatments may contain harmful chemicals.
in Pets. Source: http://www.readbud.com/Articles/Pets/How-To-Protect-Your-Pets-From-Fleas-And-Ticks

Proper Diet For Your Dogs

Like in humans, diabetes in dogs is becoming more and more common.  Often, also like human diabetes, dog diabetes can be avoided with proper diet and exercise, but this is not always the case.  Once the animal is diagnosed with diabetes, medication will usually be necessary, but diet also becomes more critical and can reduce the amount of medicine required.

The best diabetic specific dog foods use ingredients that mimic the way a dog would eat in the wild.  Dogs generally eat meat.  They prefer fresh kills if available but in leaner times with scavenge rotting carcasses or even eat insects and worms.  As a last resort, dogs will eat certain plants, but this is rare.  One thing you didn't see included is any cooked foods.

Humans learned to cook certain foods to make it easier to chew and digest.  Over time we began to cook everything up to and including fresh fruits and vegetables.  Cooking food destroys nutrients and damages the protein structure.  Certain fats are even rendered toxic.  The same effects have consequences for dogs also.

When it comes to dog food, there are few laws that regulate what can be added to the mix.  The result is a less than healthy product to say the least.  Commercial dog foods are full of fillers that can barely be considered food.  The substances that are food are cooked for hours into a liquid broth before being formed into the croquets with which we are familiar.  Needless to say, nutrients suffer from this cooking.

The best food for diabetic dogs will avoid these issues.  Unfortunately few main stream manufacturers offer this type of food.  Often owners must formulate their own dog food to meet the needed requirements.  A balance of raw meats, bones and certain plant matter is the best.

After several weeks on this healthy, raw diet, you should see noticeable improvements in your dog's health and energy level.  Often, diseases viewed as chronic and "incurable" can be reversed or even eliminated.  Insulin dependence can be drastically reduced and in most cases can be ended altogether.
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